June 2022: Quebec province expands monkeypox vaccination drive

Canada’s Quebec province expanded its monkeypox vaccination campaign on June 14 to all men who have sex with men, the population thought to be at highest risk for the disease. Previously, the campaign focused on people exposed to the illness, those with multiple male partners, or attendees of events where cases had surfaced. Quebec’s largest city, Montreal, is considered the epicenter of the North American monkeypox outbreak, with 126 confirmed cases as of mid-June. Quebec received 40,000 doses for the targeted campaign, with up to 25,000 doses reserved for Montreal. Since late May, approximately 3,000 people in the province have been vaccinated for the disease. Montreal Gazette; Toronto Star